HIV infection, even with antiretroviral therapy, appears to damage a growing child's brain. One of the largest and best-documented trials of children receiving early antiretroviral therapy -- the CHER clinical trial in South Africa -- finds ongoing white matter damage in HIV-positive children at the age of 7 years. The study aims to contribute to a better understanding of brain development in HIV-infected and exposed children, as well as the impact of long-term antiretroviral treatment. Source 1k.
Second HIV test helps prevent incorrect HIV diagnosis in infants. Confirmatory HIV testing can substantially reduce the number of infants in South Africa who may be falsely diagnosed as HIV-infected and started on unneeded treatment, according to a new study. Source 7r.
Even with early treatment, HIV still attacks young brains. The majority of children living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa. While early antiretroviral therapy has ensured less deadly outcomes for children living with and exposed to HIV, the virus still may affect the brain, disrupting neurodevelopment. Michael Boivin, director of the Psychiatry Research Program in the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, has set out to understand exactly how HIV impacts children's neuropsychological development in a two-year longitudinal study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Source 7u.